The Birdman TL-1 was an extremely minimalist aircraft sold in kit form in the United States in the mid-1970s for US$1,395.[1]
TL-1 | |
---|---|
Role | Recreational ultralight |
Manufacturer | Birdman Aircraft for homebuilding |
Designer | Emmett M. Talley |
First flight | 25 January 1975 |
Number built | 300 kits sold by 1979 |
The TL-1's fuselage is nothing more than a boom connecting a set of wings with a V-tail. The pilot's seat and a pedestal carrying the pusher engine are attached to the top of the boom just forward of the wing. Flight control is provided by a series of spoilers.[2]
Construction is of wood covered with Monokote and the aircraft was designed to be quickly dismantled for transport or storage.[2] With an empty weight of 122 lb (55 kg), it is held to be the lightest aircraft to have been flown at the time.[citation needed]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era